OLYMPIA — The state House derailed an ambitious $8.5 billion transportation package on Saturday, including a 9.5 cent gas tax hike, but backers held out hope that a revote today will rescue the plan.

The package passed through the Senate earlier in the week with modest bipartisan support, but it melted down in rancor in the House on Saturday. The measure could muster only 45 votes, five shy of the bare minimum needed for passage.

Eight Republicans joined 37 majority Democrats in favor, but most Republicans and a sizable bloc of Democrats, 18, linked together to defeat the measure. Some rural and conservative Democrats opposed the bill on merits, but other Democrats withheld their votes so the plan would not pass with so few Republicans.

Democratic leaders have been saying for weeks that the plan would either pass with bipartisan support or not at all. Partisan control of both chambers has flipped back and forth between the two parties in recent years and Democrats fear being targeted in the next election if the gas-tax plan gets labeled a Democratic tax.

"Eight votes! Give me a break," House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, complained to Republican leaders after the vote. Kessler kept the measure alive by calling for a reconsideration of the vote.

After hours of backroom negotiations, House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, abruptly put off the revote until Sunday.

A disappointed House Transportation Chairman Ed Murray, D-Seattle, was pessimistic about its chances. He pinned the blame on the Republicans.

"I feel less and less good (about the bill's chances)," he said. "I feel that we as the majority party did our part, supplying 37 votes. The challenge now is for the business community to persuade the Republicans to provide a good bipartisan vote. This is one of business' highest priorities."

Kessler rejected talk of a special session devoted to transportation.

"They're never going to give us a vote, so what would be the point?" she said.

Still, Kessler held out a bit of hope that Republicans would provide the winning margin on Sunday. She said that at one point, the GOP agreed to provide another three votes if the Democrats would do likewise. After Democrats agreed, the offer was withdrawn, she said.

Republicans also felt burned. GOP Leader Bruce Chandler of Granger said, "Some of our members felt the vote was a prank by the Democrats to try to expose some of our supposedly vulnerable members. People felt the speaker was being too cute and right now are not inclined to support him."

Earlier the GOP had offered to supply a more generous bloc of votes if the Democrats would give up their plan for a state operating budget that requires about $500 million in new revenue. The Democrats flatly rejected the offer and said transportation historically has been treated in a bipartisan fashion.

The highway measure failed 53-45.

Opponents of the bill say the tax increase is too steep, and unsuccessfully demanded a smaller tax hike for transportation.

The gas tax increase would be phased in over four years, beginning with a 3-cent boost in July. The tax now is 28 cents a gallon.

Tolls, local taxes and weight fees on cars, light trucks and SUVs also are planned. The full gas tax hike and weight fee would cost motorists between $67 and $172 a year, depending on vehicle size.

"This package is just too much for the people of Washington state, when you consider the price of gas and what's going on in Washington state with the economy," said Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Bellingham.

The plan primarily benefits the high-density area of central Puget Sound and the rest of the state would suffer from higher taxes and fewer projects, said Rep. John Serben, R-Mead.

"This is not a bill for One Washington, but a bill for one area," he said.

Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, said the onus was on the Democrats, with their 55 members, to provide the votes, not to turn to minority Republicans to bail them out.

Supporters said the transportation package pays for essential safety improvements, such as replacing the crumbling Alaskan Way Viaduct on Seattle's waterfront.

"We face a challenge as to how we're going to fix our aging infrastructure," Murray said. "We have a chance here to save lives, move people and deliver goods."

House Appropriations Chairwoman Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, made a strong pitch for the viaduct. She called the quake-damaged double-decker highway "a critical corridor for commuters and for industry."

Several key Republicans spoke for the plan. Rep. Bev Woods, R-Kingston, said the proposal was developed in bipartisan fashion and includes strong accountability measures, including performance audits.

Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy, said this was his first vote for a gas tax. "It is going to save lives" and boost the economy, he said.

Gov. Christine Gregoire worked behind the scenes to keep the measure on track.

The proposed 16-year transportation plan would help finance "mega-projects" such as the viaduct replacement, a new state Route 520 bridge across Lake Washington and improvements on Interstates 405 and 90. It also would finance hundreds of highway and bridge projects, rail, ferries and other improvements.

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